Area Unemployment Numbers Fairly Steady

Unemployment numbers for the Manhattan metropolitan area remained the same, according to figures just released by the Kansas Department of Labor. The 5.7 percent rate for June is the same as May of this year, but up just a little from last year’s June number of 5.6 percent. The metro area includes Riley, Pottawatomie and Geary Counties.

The city of Manhattan shows a 4.8 percent rate, down a tenth of a percentage from May but the same as last year.

The city of Manhattan continues to compare favorably to others in the state in terms of unemployment rates. The Manhattan metro area’s 5.7 percent rate for June is the lowest in the state, and a tenth of a point below the state number.

The city of Manhattan’s 4.8 percent still compares well to other cities, with only Leawood, Shawnee, and Dodge City having lower rates.

Riley County’s unemployment rate is down a bit from May, with five percent compared to 5.1 percent in May. That’s still higher than last year’s 4.9 percent.

Pottawatomie County’s is also down a bit with 5.2 compared to May’s 5.5, and last year’s 5.4 percent. Geary County, which tends to have a higher rate, is 7.8 percent, up from June and last year. Clay county’s 5.2 percent is up on both counts also.